Roof system based on two tile elements having means of attachment

ABSTRACT

A tile system includes a running tile having a flat bottom and parallel longitudinal edges, and a covering tile designed to rest on a pair of running tiles. The running tile has two notches formed in its parallel longitudinal edges, and the covering tile has a vertical partition that is adapted to engage the notches of adjacent running tiles to allow the lateral adjustment of the relative positions of the running tile and covering tiles.

The invention relates to the field of building roofs and moreparticularly to roofs of mechanical tiles.

One of the difficulties in laying tiles is the necessity of a veryprecise planning, that is to say, a determination with the greatestpossible accuracy of the number of tiles to be used for a given roof,and, moreover, the figure for the relative spacing of the tiles in thedirection of the slope, and transversely.

This operation is very important. In fact, if, as the tiles are beinglaid, it is found that the planning was poorly done, it is impossiblewith the tiles known today to take up the error by acting on the spacingof the tiles remaining to be laid. The tiles already laid have to beremoved and the entire operation begun once again.

Very substantial sums have been invested both in France and elsewhere inattempts to find a solution to this difficulty, but these have up to nowbeen unsuccesful.

The present invention procures a tile system which permits adjustment,while laying is in progress, of the spacing of the tiles relative to oneanother with retention of a good seal and which therefore permitscorrection of an error in planning.

With this in mind, the invention provides the use of a system of tileswith two components, namely, a "running" tile with flat bottom equippedwith two longitudinal edges raised obliquely outward and a "covering"tile which is to rest with its longitudinal edges on a base ofjuxtaposed pairs of running tiles, the said system being characterizedin that the running tile has two aligned notches on its edges, thesenotches cooperating with a transverse partition disposed close to oneend of the covering tile.

Thus, by laterally sliding the two running tiles covered by the coveringtile, it is possible to obtain a variation in the spacing between thepoint where the raised edges of two running tiles abut against oneanother and the point where they abut against the opposing lateral facesof the covering tile with which they cooperate.

According to an advantageous variation of embodiment, the lateral facesof the covering tile are notched at the end bearing the partition, toaccommodate the super-position of the running tiles in the direction ofthe slope.

The height of the partition corresponds to that of the notches and thedepth of the notches corresponds to the overlap of the tiles.

The running tiles also incorporate, on the lower face of their bottom, aspur to lock them on the battens of the roof.

Adjustment of the overlap of the tiles in the direction of the slope istherefore done by determining the spacing of the battens.

Close to its fower opening, the covering tile is equipped in knownfashion with an aerodynamic bar in the form of two or more ribs.

It is shown in FIG. 5 that the combined length of projections of twolongitudinal edges of the running tile on the roof is substantiallysmaller than a cord of an arc-shaped covering tile. Therefore, in anassembled condition of the system a substantial gap is provided betweentwo adjacent running tiles.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear onreading the following description of an embodiment given with nolimiting intent. The description will be presented with reference to theattached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a running tile according tothe invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the tile in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above of a covering tile according tothe invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from below of the tile in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fragment of roofing embodied with thetiles in the preceding figures.

The running tile 1, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, has a flat,rectangular bottom 2, equipped on its longitudinal sides with obliqueedges 3, diverging outward and upward.

In the example represented, the oblique edges 3 have a convex curvature.This preferred form facilitates the unmolding of the tiles as they aremanufactured.

At a point practically one third of its length from the base, each edge3 has a notch 4 that extends almost to the bottom 2.

On its lower face, the running tile 1 also has, close to its upper end,a spur 5 locking the tile on the battens.

At its lower end, this lower face is equipped with two ribs 6 forming anaerodynamic bar.

The covering tile 7 represented in FIGS. 3 and 4 is semicircular inouter form. Close to its upper end, its flanks incorporate two cutouts8, to accommodate the step constituted by two superposed running tiles.

In the plane of its rear end, the covering tile has a vertical partition9, which is meant to lodge in the notches 4 of a running tile.

Close to the nose, on its lower face, the covering tile 7 also has tworibs 10 forming an aerodynamic bar.

The respective dimensions of the two elements are substantially asfollows:

running tiles: H=420 mm, 1=185 mm,

covering tiles: H=420 mm, 1=250 mm.

The notches 4 in the running tile 1 are placed at about 120 mm from thenose of the tile.

All of these dimensions are given by way of illustration, they can vary.In particular the emplacement of the notches 4 in the running tile 1 canbe located at any desired point along edges 3, depending on the overlapselected as a function of the slope of the roof. Thus certain tiles 1could have their notches 4 situated 90 mm from the nose, (slightoverlap, sharp slope), others could be 150 mm (substantial overlap,gentle slope).

Likewise, partition 9 could be shifted to a greater or lesser degreeinside covering tile 7.

And finally, the general form of both the covering and running tilescould be modified as a function of the type of roof to be constructed.

According to an advantageous variation of embodiment, not shown, therunning tile can have a succession of notches 4 corresponding to thevarious overlaps in most common use.

I claim:
 1. A tile system for use on sloped roofs comprisingat least tworunning tiles adjacent to each other, each said running tile having asubstantially rectangular shape and including a substantially flatbottom with longitudinal edges raised obliquely and substantiallyoutwardly and upwardly from the substantially flat bottom, said edgeshaving a curved convex configuration, the substantially flat bottom ofthe running tile having a lower face and a locking spur formed on itslower face, at least one covering tile of a substantially arcconfiguration, the covering tile being adapted to rest on the bottoms ofsaid two running tiles juxtaposed and superposed in the direction ofroof slope, the raised edges of the running tile having near an end ofthe running tile at least two notches spaced equally from the end, thecovering tile having near an end thereof a substantially verticalpartition for cooperating with said notches and permitting a spacingadjustment between the running tiles by relative sliding of the saidnotches along the partition, said substantially vertical partitionsubstantially extending from one edge of the covering tile to the otheredge, said partition is adapted to engage the notch of the running tilein any position on the full length of the partition, the combined lengthof projections of said two longitudinal edges of the running tile on theroof is substantially smaller than a cord of the arc of the coveringtile so that in an assembled condition of the tile system a substantialgap is provided between said two adjacent running tiles providing apossibility of lateral movement between said running and covering tilesand allowing adjustment of the relative positions of the running tileand the covering tile.
 2. Tile system according to claim 1 wherein therunning tile has a series of notches, aligned on its raised edges. 3.Tile system according to claim 2, wherein the notches are disposed at90, 120 and 150 mm from end of the running tile.
 4. Tile systemaccording to 1 wherein the notches are disposed at substantially onethird of the height of the running tile from the end of the said tile.5. Tile system according to claim 1 wherein the partition of thecovering tile is disposed in the plane of the upper end.
 6. Tile systemaccording to claim 1 wherein the covering tile has, close to its upperend, two cutouts to accommodate the step constituted by thesuperposition of two running tiles.
 7. Tile system according to claim 1wherein the running tiles and the covering tile have ribs forming anaerodynamic bar.